RICHMOND, Calif. -- The 15-year-old victim of a gang rape outside Richmond High School's homecoming dance last month issued her first public statement Tuesday, which was read at a rally and vigil on the campus Tuesday afternoon.

"Violence is always a wrong choice," the statement read. "We realize people are angry about this, but let the anger cause change; change that is necessary to keep our children, our neighbors and our friends safe. We thank everyone for their love, support and ongoing prayers."

DeAnna Schlau, a victim advocate from Community Violence Solutions, read the statement before hundreds of attendees at the event, which featured speakers, as well as performances of music, spoken word, and poems.

About 80 percent of those who attended the rally Tuesday afternoon were students, said Terrance Cheung, chief of staff for Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who spoke at the event.

Other speakers included Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, school officials and students.

Cheung said all the performances Tuesday were connected by a theme of unity, and that the event was held to bring the community together, not to point fingers.

Earlier Tuesday Richmond police officers, assisted by a SWAT team, arrested a 21-year-old man, the seventh suspect taken into custody in the Richmond High homecoming gang rape case, authorities said.

Richmond Police Lt. Mark Gagan said the local resident was taken into custody at around 7 a.m.

“Our tactical team just arrested a 21-year-old Richmond resident at his home,” Gagan told KTVU. “We had a search and arrest warrant for him in regards to his participation in this case. He is being held on a $1.2 million arrest warrant which insinuates he is suspected of committing several felonies.”

Gagan said so far five suspects had been charged in the case and a sixth was released for insufficient evidence.

One of those five, Jose Carlos Montano, was charged in the case late Monday and was scheduled for a Tuesday arraignment.

The 18-year-old has been held in the Martinez Detention Facility since his arrest last Friday on felony charges of rape, rape in concert with force, penetration with a foreign object and a special enhancement requesting life in prison.

His bail has been set at $1.3 million.

"You can tell by the severity of his charges and the amount of his bail that Montano played a significant role in the assault on our victim,'' Gagan said.

Gagan, who did not know whether Montano attended Richmond High School, said the investigation was ongoing and investigators believed there were more suspects.

“We are actively pursuing other leads,” Gagan told KTVU. “Whether they are witnesses or suspects, we haven’t established that yet.”

Four teenagers have already been charged in connection with the gang rape.

San Pablo residents Cody Ray Smith, 15, and Ari Abdullah Morales, 16; Pinole resident Marcelles James Peter, 17; and Richmond resident Manuel Ortega, 19, all face life in prison if convicted on all their counts.

Smith, Morales and Peters –- who wore bulletproof vests at their court appearances last week -- each have been charged with rape by a foreign object while acting in concert. Morales has also been charged with robbery, according to the criminal complaint.

Ortega has been charged with forcible rape while acting in concert, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, and robbery.

All four also face enhancements that make them eligible for life in prison.

Smith, who just turned 15 earlier this month, has pleaded not guilty. The others have yet to enter a plea and were scheduled to return to court on Thursday.

Police said earlier this week that they believe between seven and 10 people were involved in robbing, beating and sexually assaulting the victim, a Richmond High School student, in front of as many as a dozen onlookers outside the Oct. 24th homecoming dance.

Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Dara Cashman said she decided to charge the juveniles as adults in this case because of the "extremely callous and brutal" nature of the crime.

While she has prosecuted numerous gang rape cases, she said this one seemed particularly cold.

She also said her office has received "expressions of outrage from around the country," mostly sent by email, about the case.